In a strong protest against a demolition by the Sohna Municipal Corporation, members of the Aravali Retreat Welfare Association (ARRWA) have accused administration officials of illegally targeting them.
In a detailed statement, ARRWA president Rajesh Vats condemned the repeated illegal actions and harassment faced by the residents of Aravali Retreat, a farmhouse society developed by Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Limited.
“Aravali Retreat was developed in the years 1988-90, after obtaining all requisite approvals and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Director General, Town and Country Planning, Haryana, and the Forest Department, Government of Haryana.
The developer undertook massive infrastructure development, including internal roads, water pipelines, tree plantation, tube-well installation, farmhouse construction, and the establishment of electricity and telephone lines and connections.
“An official inquiry was also conducted pursuant to the Chairman, HSPCB’s letter bearing Memo No. HSPCB/08/2036 dated 29/01/2009. The inquiry was conducted by a team of senior revenue officials, including the Revenue Commissioner, Gurugram Division; the District Collector, Gurugram; the Tehsildar, Sohna; and the Halqa Patwari, Village Raisina, Sohna,” the statement read.
“The findings of this comprehensive inquiry unequivocally confirmed that Ansal’s associate companies had legally purchased land in the year 1987–88 in Khewat Nos. 28 and 29 of the revenue estate of Village Raisina.”
The statement went on to note that it was further verified that the developer had invested heavily in developing the area into a full-fledged farmhouse society by constructing roads, laying water supply pipelines, installing tube wells, planting trees, building houses and boundary gates, and establishing electricity and telephone lines. Aravali Retreat Welfare Association, in accordance with established legal procedures.
“Despite these clear and conclusive findings, the residents of Aravali Retreat continued to face harassment. Starting from 2006, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board filed nearly 600 criminal complaints against residents of the “Aravali Retreat” society before the Hon’ble Special Environment Court, Faridabad. However, every single complaint has resulted in acquittal, confirming the baseless nature of the allegations. Only 9 complaints remain pending as of today,” Vats said.
“Further distress was caused during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, when on May 27, 2020, the Municipal Council, Sohna, issued notices to residents. The matter was taken to court, and the Hon’ble Civil Court granted injunction orders against the Municipal Council after considering all relevant facts and documents,” he added.
“Yet, in a shocking development, in June 2020, the District Collector, Gurugram, passed an arbitrary five-line order reclassifying the nature of the land from “Gair Mumkin Farm House” to “Gair Mumkin Pahar,” without any notice or legal hearing. The ARRWA immediately approached the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, which granted a stay on the collector’s order,” he asserted.
“However, despite the stay and judicial directions, officials went ahead and illegally changed the land classification in violation of court orders and established law. The authorities continue to harass residents under the guise of false classifications and baseless actions.”
The “ARRWA” is now preparing to file a formal criminal complaint before the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Haryana, against all officials involved in these unlawful actions.
“All residents of the Aravali Retreat society/members of ARRWA have followed every legal procedure and proven our lawful rights at every stage through government inquiries, revenue records, and court verdicts,” Vats emphasised.
“Yet, some officials continue to act with total impunity. This fight is now not just about land, but it is about the rule of law and the dignity of every law-abiding citizen.”